'Opener' Labuschagne back? Australia's best options who can partner Khawaja in 1st Ashes Test

Will Labuschagne open in first Ashes Test? [Source: AFP Photo]

In the latest development, Australian selectors have revealed the 15-member squad for the first Ashes Test series vs England. The team is a mixture of youth and experience as Steve Smith will lead the team in Pat Cummins’ absence. The Aussie skipper has been ruled out of the first Test due to a back injury he suffered in July.

Despite Cummins’ absence, the bowling attack still looks strong with Mitch Starc, Josh Hazlewood and Scott Boland leading the charge. However, the batting looks vulnerable, especially at the top. Ever-since David Warner retired, Australia have found it hard to replace him.

The team tried Sam Konstas in the India series, but he couldn’t capitalise, and now they don’t have a solid opening choice for the Ashes alongside Usman Khawaja. In this article, we look at 3 probable candidates who could open in the first Test vs England.

1) Marnus Labuschagne

Marnus Labuschagne has played the majority of his Test career at number 3, and this is where he made a name for himself. However, with Warner retiring, Labuschagne was also tried at the opening slot, but the batter failed to deliver the goods.

He struggled to adapt from number 3 to the opening slot, but with no proper opener in the team, the Aussies could persist with him at the top.

(Labuschange as Test opener)

• So far, the opening spot has not been kinder towards the Queensland batter, but he brings in grittiness and the hunger to grind in tough conditions. This is the main reason why the team management could be tempted to give Labuschagne one last go at the opening spot.
• His job could be to just stay at the crease, take the shine off the ball so that life becomes easy for middle-order batters.

2) Cameron Green

With Warner retiring, Australia could go ahead with Cameron Green as the opener, and he could be the like-for-like replacement at the top. The Khawaja-Warner pair was successful because both had different skillsets. 

While Warner was aggressive and took the attack to the opposition, Khawaja played cricket the traditional way. Similarly, Green could fulfill the same role. He could be the chief aggressor against the English attack.

England will bring in express pacers for the first Test, and Green could demoralise their morale by playing an aggressive brand of cricket, and this could be a long-term game plan for the Aussies.

3) Jake Weatherald

The talented Jake Weatherald was picked in the Aussie squad for the first Ashes Test, and there is a probability that the management could throw him straightaway at the top of the batting order.

(Weatherald in first-class cricket)

• At the top of the order, the Aussie has a stunning record for his domestic team, South Australia, as the batter has piled on truckloads of runs and could be the first-choice opener if the management doesn’t show any trust in Green or Labuschagne.
• The batter brings in calmness on a cricket field and perhaps the team needs it to score truckloads of runs at the top of the order.

Final verdict

For the first Ashes Test match vs England, the Aussies might be tempted to go in with a tried and tested Marnus Labuschagne at the top, but if they want to take a different route, they should go in with Green, who would bring in an aggressive approach at the top.

However, if the side wants to go ahead with a bold move, they could throw in Weatherald into the scheme of things.

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